


Second Booth on the Right

by alldaydream



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Fluff, M/M, a tiny bit of angst, but mainly just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23039974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alldaydream/pseuds/alldaydream
Summary: A couple of moments shared between David and Patrick in their booth at Café Tropicale.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 27
Kudos: 184





	Second Booth on the Right

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this short diddly after feeling very emotional about David and Patrick in their booth during the last episode and I conjured up some more moments they could share in their future. 
> 
> In this universe, Ted and Alexis make it work in the future because I really do hope they do.
> 
> This is un-beta-ed and all mistakes are my own.

“All I’m saying is that we shouldn’t have to sacrifice artistic integrity because of a little budgetary non-issue,” David says waving his hand and taking a sip of his orange juice. 

“David, we don’t need an eight layer wedding cake with sugar roses,” Patrick says scribbling into his portfolio. “That’s too much cake for the amount of guests that are coming.”

“Who says the cake is for the guests?” David retorts, stealing another piece of bacon from Patrick’s plate. Patrick hums and closes his portfolio, pushing his plate closer to David. He smiles at him, the same fond smile he’s had on his face since meeting David and reaches out to hold David’s hand, rubbing his thumb into his knuckles. “Mariela can make us a delicious cake with fresh flowers and berries. I called her yesterday and she’s going to give us a deal if we agree to extend her line of jams at the store.”

David chews on the bacon contemplatively, his lips smooshed off to the side. “The orange ginger jam we sampled last week was very delicious.”

“I wouldn’t know since you ate it all,” Patrick teases, taking a sip of his tea. 

“Quality control,” David responds. “Do you think we can convince her to make mini jars of jam for the guests as wedding favors?”

Patrick grins at David and brings his hand to kiss his knuckles. “I’m sure we can negotiate something.”

David smiles back at him and grabs his fork, taking a bite of his waffles while still holding Patrick’s hand. And when Patrick reaches out to steal a strawberry from his plate, he hits it away with his fork. 

* * *

“Okay, Dennis is all set to go tomorrow,” Patrick says putting his phone away. 

“Great, good, yup,” David says ripping up a napkin with his fingers. 

“David,” Patrick says reaching out to stop him from taking another napkin. “It’s going to be fine.”

David lets out a shaky breath and nods his head. “I know, I know. It’s just, it’s a big deal! A second store. I didn’t think we’d every get to this point,” David says chewing his bottom lip. 

“And yet here we are,” Patrick says gently. “Although we would have been here a month earlier if you hadn’t insisted on the fancy robot toilet for the bathroom.”

“I don’t hear you complaining about our fancy robot toilet at home,” David snaps back without any real heat in his voice. Patrick just grins bigger at David, squeezing his hand in his, the wrinkles around his eyes deeper now with age and David’s stomach swoops. Because even after seven years of marriage, Patrick Brewer still gives David Rose butterflies. Even when he’s being a little shit. 

“So about the instagram ad,” Patrick says retracting his hand from David’s grasp, but David holds on tighter, refusing to let him go. Patrick looks up at him and smiles knowingly, lacing their fingers together before continuing. “Alexis said we should be seeing a spike in our online store when it drops tomorrow and we should prep Steph and Jeremy later today to make sure they can handle the traffic.”

David nods his head and squeezes Patrick’s hand. “Steph has a few photos for us to approve before she uploads them onto our page that we should take a look at too.”

Patrick smiles, “I think you mean photos that _you_ will be approving.”

“I’ve been getting better at including you in artistic decisions,” David says defensively. “I asked you what you thought of the new bath salt display on Wednesday.”

“You made the display back on Monday,” Patrick replies, his eyebrow quirking up. 

“It needed to settle into the environment,” David says taking one of Patrick’s french fries. “And when you suggested that I move one of the jars more to the left, _I did_.”

“Yes, you did, baby,” Patrick murmurs with a fond smile. David’s face also settles into fondness and he lifts Patrick hand up to his lips and kisses it softly. “I’m scared.”

“I know,” Patrick says softly. “But I trust you David Rose. You always make everything beautiful.”

David blushes and looks away, his eyes screwed shut tightly and his lips pressed down together. “Flattery gets you everywhere.”

“How do you think I got you to marry me,” Patrick says running a hand over David’s gold rings. He lifts up his tea cup and David follows suit. “To the new store.”

“To _our_ new store.”

* * *

“Alexis asked if she could stop by the store and pick up a few more things before she leaves tomorrow morning,” Patrick says around his bite of meatloaf. 

David grunts and continues to look down at his pasta, untouched. 

“David?” Patrick asks. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” David replies petulantly, crossing his arms and looking away. 

Patrick sighs and puts down his fork. “It’s okay to miss her,” Patrick says gently. 

“Who said anything about missing her,” David replies with a sniff. 

Patrick smiles gently and reaches his hand out, David immediately sliding his into Patrick’s palm. “I know it’ll take some adjusting. But you have me and Stevie to help you get through it.”

“I just don’t understand why she had to choose Toronto,” David says with a grimace. “It’s too far. And it’s not like Ted needs to be in Toronto also. He’s a vet, there are animals everywhere which means he can work anywhere, like somewhere closer to here and not in Toronto.”

Patrick closes his eyes and shakes his head with a smile. “She’s a short plane ride away. And Toronto makes sense for her business, you know that.”

David squeezes his eyes tightly and nods his head stiffly. “I know,” he says quietly. 

“How about we plan a trip to go out and see her in a couple of weeks? Both stores have been doing great and I think Steph or Jeremy can watch the store while we’re away,” Patrick says rubbing his thumb across David’s knuckles. 

“We can go to my favorite museum” David says perking up. “The Art Gallery of Ontario. And maybe my favorite thai place? That place in Elmdale is okay, but the pad see ew at this place by the gallery is to _die for_.”

Patrick nods his head and watches David talk about his favorite place in Toronto with a smile, keeping his hand in his and not letting go.

* * *

Patrick stares down into his cold tea fidgeting with his wedding ring when Twyla asks him is he wants another cup.

“No thanks Twy,” Patrick mutters with a weak smile, and she walks away with a sympathetic look on her face. 

It was bad today. Really bad. One of their worst fights really. And it all could have been avoided if one of them had walked away before it became too much. But they were both stubborn. Of course neither of them walked away. 

Well, Patrick did when he couldn’t take the look of David’s face anymore. 

Patrick rubs his face with his hands, stress seeping out from his skin. He shouldn’t have said it. He shouldn’t have let it get that far. But for a moment he just wanted to win. Winning seemed more important. More important than his husband. 

_Fuck._

Patrick feels his eyes stinging with tears, his heart hammering in his chest, a deep pain throbbing in his head. 

“Patrick?”

Patrick’s head snaps up and he sees David sitting across from him, his eyebrows knit together tightly, his teeth chewing on his bottom lip. His eyes are red-rimmed and tired, but he’s still so beautiful, heartbreakingly beautiful and even after ten years of marriage, David Rose still gives Patrick Brewer butterflies. 

“David,” Patrick breathes out. 

“I don’t want to talk about it yet,” David says quietly. “But I didn’t want to be home alone.”

Patrick nods his head grimly and turns his head to gesture for Twyla. “Coffee?”

“Yes please,” David replies and Patrick pushes his untouched slice of apple pie towards him. 

“Thanks,” David whispers, taking a pie of the stale crust and chewing carefully.

Patrick raises his hand towards Twyla and she nods at him, a soft smile on her face as she goes to prepare David’s coffee order. When Patrick puts his hand back down on the table, David reaches for it, lacing their fingers together and holding on tightly. Patrick squeezes his hand back. 

* * *

David is scraping the bottom of his soup bowl when his phone begins to ring, hastily reaching for it and taking a deep breath before answering. “Hi honey.”

“Hi,” Patrick says from the other line. “What are you up to?”

“Eating corn chowder and seriously questioning my choices,” David replies with a grimace. 

Patrick chuckles from the other line. “Did they run out of our usual?”

David smiles softly and lowers his voice. “I didn’t want to eat them without you.”

Patrick sighs from the other end and it tugs at David to hear his husband of fifteen years so tired. “I’m sorry I can’t be there, David. If it weren’t urgent-”

“Patrick Brewer you stop that right now,” David admonishes. “You and know both know that this wasn’t a matter of choice. This was beyond your control,” David says before softening his voice. “How is he doing?”

“Better,” Patrick breathes out. “Not great, but better. We’re still waiting on a couple of tests. Mom’s in the room with him right now and I’m at the commissary getting a cup of tea for her.”

“Did you eat?” David asks with an edge to his voice. 

Patrick laughs, “Yes, dear.”

“Good,” David replies signaling for Jody, Twyla’s daughter. “Make sure you mom eats too. When I spoke with her this morning she said she managed to eat a piece of toast.”

“I love you,” Patrick says fiercely suddenly and David jolts with some shock at Patrick’s rather passionate declaration. “I love you too. Are you okay honey?”

“Yeah, yeah I just,” Patrick says with a shuddering breath. “I miss you and hearing your voice makes me miss you more.”

“I miss you too,” David says softly into his phone as Jody comes by with his check. “It’ll be okay.”

“Yeah,” Patrick says with a deep breath. “It’ll be okay. I can’t wait to see you on Friday.”

David hums as he leaves money for the check. “I can’t wait either. Jeremy is all good to manage the store while we’re gone. Do you need me to bring anything?”

“Just you,” Patrick replies and David smiles, closing his eyes and tipping his head back as his tummy erupts with butterflies. “Okay, I’ll be there soon.”

“Happy birthday, David.”

“Happy anniversary, Patrick.”

* * *

Patrick Brewer walks into Café Tropicale a little slower than he used to, but still with the same restless energy he’s had since his first date with David. His husband is already sitting in the booth, nursing a hot cup of coffee in between his hands, his eyes closed serenely and his head tipped back. Even at the age of 63, David still manages to take Patrick’s breath away. 

“Morning, baby,” Patrick says, kissing David’s cheek and sitting across from him in the booth. 

“Morning,” David murmurs back with a smile. “All set?”

“Yeah, Steph and Alicia have the keys and all the paperwork is ready to be signed,” Patrick replies, gesturing for Jody. 

David hums into his coffee. “I wonder whose last name they’re going to go with.”

“David, they agreed to keep the name as is,” Patrick reminds him. David shrugs his shoulders and sets down his coffee. “It’s their store now, they can call it whatever they want.”

Patrick smiles gently at his husband and reaches for his hand, wrinkled with age but still as soft since they day he met him. “It’ll always be our store.”

David takes a deep breath and nods, squeezing Patrick’s hand. “I know.”

“Here is your tea,” Jody says setting down a steaming mug in front of Patrick. “And mom told me you might want an order of these,” Jody says with a wink, placing a plate of mozzarella sticks down between them. Patrick looks up and looks for Twyla, smiling as she winks back at him from the counter. “Thank you Jody. And tell your mom thank you too.”

“No problem boys,” Jody says with a smile. 

Patrick smiles and picks up a mozzarella stick, misshapen and greasy in his fingers. “Shall we?”

David smiles back at him. “Mmm,” he hums and picks one up.

“To a new adventure,” Patrick says. 

“With you,” David adds and Patrick smiles at him, his eyes wrinkled from decades of smiling at David Rose. “With you,” Patrick repeats.

They tap their mozzarella sticks together and each take a bite with matching grins on their faces.

* * *

David walks into Café Tropicale and is immediately taken back to his first moment he walked in with his family so many years ago. Flashes of various memories fill his head, meals with his family and Stevie and Patrick growing warm in his belly. It’s different now, Twyla’s daughter Jody having renovated the space during the years he’s been away, updated to attract more customers into the now bustling town of Schitt’s Creek. 

The once tile floors are now wood and the walls have been painted in a warm cream color, modern lighting fixtures coming down from the ceiling. The murals are also gone, the once garish paintings of palm trees now just a distant memory of David’s past. But their booth is still there, the second booth on the right. And although the upholstery is different and the table top has now been swapped out and replaced by a slab of repurposed wood, David can still see the two of them there so clearly, sharing a plate of mozzarella sticks and secret smiles. 

There’s a couple sitting in their booth, splitting a piece of chocolate cake and David smiles at them, watching their shy glances at each other with fondness. 

“Hey,” Patrick says from behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Did you get in our order?”

“Not yet,” David replies, leaning into Patrick’s side. “Got a bit distracted.”

Patrick nods from beside him and also looks around. “Looks different.”

“But feels the same,” David murmurs.

“I wonder if they still have the same menus,” Patrick wonders, steering the two of them to the counter. 

“Still do,” Jody says suddenly appearing after tending to a diner. “Mom wouldn’t let me change them. And not that I wanted to, to be honest,” Jody says handing them the same massive Café Tropicale menu they’ve grown to love.

“How is your mom doing, Jody?” Patrick asks, rubbing his thumb in circles into David’s hip. 

“Mom’s good. Keeps refusing to rest after her hip surgery. But it helps having your sister in town to distract her,” Jody says. “They’re drinking the wine Alexis brought from Napa back at the house.”

“Ah, so that’s where Alexis went off to,” David says rolling his eyes fondly. “She barely said hello to me before scurrying off.”

“We see her almost every weekend back in Toronto, David,” Patrick teases. “She hasn’t been back in Schitt’s Creek for years.”

“Stevie didn’t seem very excited to see us either,” David replies crossing his arms. 

“Stevie lives next door,” Patrick says squeezing his hip. “Which reminds me, Stevie asked if she could get a turkey club to go. She’ll be here in a few minutes to pick it up. She’s just popping by the motel to take a look at the books and check up in there.

“You’d never guess she retired five years ago,” Jody says shaking her head. “How long are you guys here for?”

“Just the weekend,” David replies. “It was a spontaneous trip down memory lane. And being the leeches that they are, Stevie and Alexis decided on their own to tag along,” David says rolling his eyes. 

“Sounds like fun,” Jody says with a grin. “I’ll get the sandwich ready for her. Oh, it looks like your booth is free,” Jody says gesturing behind them. 

David and Patrick turn around, watching the young couple walk out of the café, the boy reaching for the girls’ hand shyly. “You boys want to eat here?”

David squeezes Patrick’s hand and Patrick smiles. “That sounds great. Can we get-”

“One jasmine tea, one caramel macchiato with skim, two sweetners and a sprinkle of coco powder, and one order of mozzarella sticks,” Jody finishes for him, grinning at Patrick’s shocked expression. “Don’t forget I grew up serving you guys. And it’s only been seven years, I could never forget.”

Patrick shakes his head ruefully at Jody. “You are your mother’s daughter.”

Jody grins at him and turns towards the kitchen. 

Patrick guides David to their booth, his hand on the small of his back. “After you,” he says with a grand flourish of his hands. David rolls his eyes and sits down at the booth, smiling at Patrick. “This seems very familiar.”

“It does. We’re just missing Stevie,” Patrick says with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Okay, we’ve been married for more than 40 years, it all worked out didn’t it?” David harps back. 

Patrick smiles and reaches for David’s hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss. “It did.”


End file.
